Peter Handscomb imitates this Indian player for improving technique against spinner

The biggest challenge for an overseas batsman on subcontinent wickets is the spinning ball. The slow pitches, humid conditions, and skilled spinners have troubled many touring batsmen but decoding spin results in glorious success as shown by Alastair Cook, Hashim Amla and Steve Smith in the past.

And that’s why, Peter Handscomb, the Australian middle-order batsman is keen on improving his technique against spinners during his visit to India as a part of the Australia A team. For this purpose, the right-hand batsman wants to imitate Indian middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane.

Handscomb considers Rahane a quality player and has admitted that he has tried to emulate the Indian batsman on occasions. Handscomb has spent some time with Rahane in the past when he was part of the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise in the IPL in 2016.

Handscomb revealed that during IPL he watched Rahane’s game and had a couple of chats with him. According to the Aussie, Rahane has the ability to play the spin of the back-foot really well.

Image credit @ ICC

The 27-year-old had an incredible start to his Test career as he became the only batsman to not get out below 50 in any of his first seven Test innings. He played some significant knocks against India in his maiden overseas tour with his solid innings of 72 off 200 balls helping Australia drew the Dharamsala Test but since then his form saw a dip.

He has scored 829 runs in 13 Tests so far with an average of 43.63 and has slammed two centuries and four half-centuries.

Now the right-hand batsman is focused on doing well in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan in UAE. In the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner, Handscomb has an opportunity to prove his mettle. The series will be played on spin-friendly surfaces hence Handscomb is looking to improve his technique against the spinners and is learning a few lessons by watching Rahane.